The companies that comprise Chemcol Holdings (Pty) Ltd are living proof of the saying, “There’s strength in numbers.” Because of the various capabilities within the group, it can capitalise on synergies and Inter-company relationships built up over almost 35 years to be truly a self-contained one-stop shop in the sphere of pigments, coatings and additives.

Chemcol is an umbrella holding company whose operations comprise Liquid Colours, Chemipol Solutions and Kannar Earth Science.

This cluster of companies, employing well over 200 people nationwide and exporting throughout the world, has come a long way since Allan Peters, Glenn Peters and Alfred McCreadie decided to open a company producing decorative coatings called Tepyl Paints and Chemicals in 1969, located in Sebenza. The staff complement back then: a grand total of six. In those days, they were lucky if the annual turnover was R2000. Today, the group reports a yearly turnover of over R200 million.

In 1982, they diversified into making colour for the paint and plastics industry. Seven years down the line, Graham Palmer came on board his Ink production company, Hi-Tech Inks. In1994, they opened their Durban factory dedicated to the manufacture of Inks, five years later, Cape Town followed. Around the same time, the name of the flagship paint company was changed to Liquid Colours and Chemipol also saw the light of day.

Today, the company’s diverse operations encompass the production of paints, dry powder pigments and organic agricultural products, its geographical business horizons have also expanded, supplying both finished products as well as proprietary technology and expertise to first world economies and emerging markets.